Website Visitors from Abroad

Our Internet Service Provider (ISP) provides useful statistics on the operation and use of our website and blog.  I monitor these to ensure the website is working and to look for any changes in usage.  I’m pleased to see how many visit the site from abroad.

There are separate statistics for the main website and for the blog.

While I expected the UK to be top on both charts I hadn’t expected the 12% difference between the two tables.

And why do we have so many more readers of the blog from New Zealand - and less from Australia?

I’m hoping that some of our blog readers from outside the UK will be kind enough to leave me a comment - perhaps saying what attracts you to the blog and the website - or perhaps suggesting improvements or changes

Perhaps you are from a country which doesn’t appear on the lists at all.

My biggest surprise was the neither the United States nor Canada appeared on either list.  I know I dispatch orders for DVDs to both of these countries yet I’ve never dispatched orders to Russia, Moldova, Japan or Poland which do appear on the list.

I don’t expect the statistics to be perfect because there are so many assumptions about where the visitor is from - mostly assuming that the visitor is from the same country as the ISP that has registered the IP (Internet Protocol) address - but they give a useful indication.

So, especially if you’re reading this from outside the UK, please spare a moment to click on the link below and leave me a comment - perhaps just confirm the country and town you are from so I can monitor the statistics.

Which country will leave the most comments?

Posted on Friday, May 30, 2008 at 09:11
Comments (1) Category(s): News

New Look Website and Blog

I’ve updated the formatting of the Website and Blog today.

The content is the largely the same, with a few minor updates, but it’s been reorganised into six distinct categories, each with its own colour theme (or color as the web calls it).

It’s all been tested with IE7, IE6 and Firefox and, after a considerable effort, it now looks (almost) the same in each of them.

I’d be very pleased if you could spend a few minutes browsing around the web site and seeing how it feels and works for you - then leave me a comment to say it works OK, or what didn’t.

I’d like comments on the general look and feel of the site, as well as anything detailed like broken links.

So, thanks for your help - happy browsing.

Posted on Saturday, March 15, 2008 at 16:55
Comments (1) Category(s): News

Latest posting dates for Christmas

Waterway Routes DVDs and Walking Booklets of the Canals and Waterways make ideal Christmas Presents.  There’s still time to order them for Christmas - but don’t take too long.

We send everything out first class, and the Post Office say the latest posting date for first class is Thursday 20th December.

We will still post out orders received after that but they may not arrive in time for Christmas.

Posted on Tuesday, December 11, 2007 at 22:07
Comments (0) Category(s): News

Debdale blog mentions Waterway Routes

I have a Google Alert set to email me whenever “Waterway Routes” is mentioned on the web.  I get a few false alarms when the map “Waterway routes through France” is mentioned but not too many.

An email today alerted me to the mention of Waterway Routes, including a photo, on the blog for Debdale, a timeshare boat managed by OwnerShips.  We had been spotted at Fenny Compton, where it was built, and now returned for some warranty work.

Adam had recognised us as the electric powered boat reviewed in the October 2007 issue of Canal Boat Magazine.

Posted on Thursday, September 27, 2007 at 18:53
Comments (2) Category(s): News

Our new phone number is 07961 701 702

From today, our phone number is 07961 701 702.  The old number will continue to work for a little while.

The reason for the change is a little complicated - and rather disappointing.

Back in 1999, when mobile phone reception was erratic, and before you could port (transfer) mobile numbers I obtained a BT Flexinumber.  This was just like a mobile number except that there was no real mobile on the end of the line and I could divert the number to any mobile or landline of my choice.

I diverted the number to my regular mobile and when I changed mobile contracts I just re-diverted it to the new mobile number and this gave me the important continuity of a stable business number.

As mobile phone reception was poor at our home/office I could also divert it to our home number when I was there to give a clearer line.

Now phone numbers are being rationalised across the country.  The 03xxx and 06xxx series of numbers are going live and some other numbers are being reclassified and the charging structure is changing.

The end result of all this is that it has become more expensive to call our old number and I don’t think that’s fair on callers so we’ve changed to a regular mobile number.  This is the same price to call as any other mobile, and it will be covered by the “inclusive” minutes with many price plans.

Now that I can port (transfer) mobile numbers I can keep this number whenever I change mobile contracts and mobile reception at our home/office is good so I don’t need to transfer it to our landline.

Now all I need to do is change the number on the website, business cards, brochures, DVDs, and everywhere else I’ve published the number.  At least I don’t have any signs to change like BW would.

Posted on Thursday, September 27, 2007 at 11:22
Comments (0) Category(s): News

Moored in the Middle

We’re moored at Sherborne Wharf, Birmingham for just a few more days.  This mooring puts us in the middle of the English and Welsh canal network, ready to head off in any direction we please.  And it’s just 15 minutes walk from Birmingham New Street Station if we want to visit by train.

I know some people are put off by the thought of undesirable problems on the Birmingham Canal Networks, but we’ve never had any problems and I don’t think it’s any worse than any other big city.  They all have their good and bad points and the bad ones start the rumours.

There’s an excellent picture on Live Search, just drag the picture to follow the canal going off the top left of your picture to reach the "roundabout" at Old Turn Junction.  There’s another picture here.

We should be heading northwards later this week, heading for Llangollen in a few weeks time.

Posted on Sunday, May 27, 2007 at 22:12
Comments (0) Category(s): News

Going Slowly

We’re beginning to relax and move out of what Sue on No Problem calls “Motorway Mode”.

Susan and I are heading northwards after dropping Christine, Andrew and Megan at Oxford to catch trains to Nailsea and Manchester.

We’re moored between Lower Heyford and Upper Heyford and it quiet and peaceful.  Just the other side of the towpath is the River Cherwell which shares its course with the canal from time to time.

Tomorrow were off to Banbury to pick up Christine from the station.

Posted on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 at 15:27
Comments (1) Category(s): News , Recent

Easter Sunday Geocaching

Yesterday, Susan wanted to see if we could find any of the geocaches positioned along the canal. You can find these on the internet with clues, often including an OS Grid Reference and then you have to search out the container which is hidden so those not in the know can’t find it.

Inside there is often something interesting and a list you can add your name to.

Here’s Andrew, Susan and Christine adding their name to the list in the one we found yesterday.

 

Then, this morning, Easter Sunday, we saw a father on the towpath giving his son instructions on using a hand held GPS receiver.  They didn’t look like they were going far and this was rather too early on a Sunday morning to be going for a walk.

A quick shout from his Dad hinted at what was going on.

Then we look at the foot of the next tree. It’s hardly visible in the photograph but there was an object wrapped in silver foil and looking just like an Easter Egg.

Does hunting for Easter Eggs with a GPS count as Geocaching?

Then we continued on through Pigeon Lock where we chatted to several people and a very nice family, leaving someone clutching a business card and keen to check the blog when they got home.  I do hope they leave their names in a comment.
 

On towards Oxford.  Progress is very slow as there seem to be miles and miles of moored boats to slow down for.

Posted on Sunday, April 8, 2007 at 14:35
Comments (0) Category(s): News , Recent

South to Upper Heyford

A leisurely start today, then on through Banbury to Upper Heyford.

I was lovely to cruise slowly past the line of moored boats in Banbury in silent electric mode and watch all the heads turn.

Then at the lock in Banbury a lady waiting to bring a boat up the lock looked familiar.  I was only as we were leaving I though it must be something to do with the Cotswold Canals Trust and I asked her.

Yes, she said, and she had not only seen the Cotswold Canals DVD but had sold several.  Then I pointed to the name panel on the boat and she spotted it was the same as on the DVDs.  I still can’t remember her name - so if you are reading this then please leave me a comment or send me an email.

A few little niggles are starting to appear with the boat, but nothing to worry about.  The central heating has stopped working which is probably related to the fact that the header tank needed topping up with 2 pints of water every 5 minutes and then we found water dripping down the back of the electric cupboard at the stern.  We’ve stopped adding water and we can manage without central heating for a few days.

South to Oxford tomorrow.

Posted on Saturday, April 7, 2007 at 20:08
Comments (2) Category(s): News , Recent

Maiden Voyage

We finally made it to our maiden voyage.  Christine, Susan and I were off to Fenny Compton again.

First was an end to end tour of the boat to check everything was alright and for Ian to demonstrate how things worked. Then we loaded everything on board and starting stowing things away in the cupboards.

I made a quick trip to Banbury to collect Andrew and Megan from the station and returned to the boat.

Then the maiden voyage.  A cruise northwards to the winding hole at the Wharf Inn with Andy and Ian showed the diesel was still working.

Then we headed back south under electric power to drop Andy and Ian off at the marina and continue on our own.

We are trying with diesel power on the longer stretches to propel the boat and charge the batteries, then electric power in and around the locks.

Everyone commented on how new the boat looked and most were puzzled by the lack of engine noise.

We started to relax and took a few pictures, including the classic one at Cropredy where our hull was first put onto the water on 2 October 2006.

Posted on Friday, April 6, 2007 at 21:04
Comments (0) Category(s): News , Recent